Hercules Locomotive Mitigates Thermal Coal Transportation Tension

Chinanews, Changsha, January 25, Liu Shuangshuang, Han Jun and Yan Changqing-The cold wave sweeping across China and the heavy snow recently have imposed severe challenge to transportation of coal from North to South China. The railway department has employed 220 units of Harmony 1 9,600kw electric locomotives developed and produced by CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd. for thermal coal transportation on Daqin railway line dedicated to coal transportation.
Hercules has demonstrated its power to accelerate thermal coal transportation. Liu Wei, business manager of CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd. told the journalists that at present, the daily thermal coal transportation on the Daqin railway line has reached 1.1 million tones, and all Harmony 1 locomotives have double units to pull 20,000 tonnes heavy-duty units to transport the high-quality thermal coal of West China from Datong station directly to Qinhuangdao.
Because Harmony 1 electric locomotive is the only one that can realize 20,000 tonnes heavy-duty traction through self assembly and assembly with other locomotives, and is highly adaptable, now the Harmony 1 electric locomotive accounts for nearly 90% of the total transportation capacity of Daqin railway line, and has set a single day transportation capacity record of locomotives.
As reported, the Ministry of Railways has kicked off a campaign to transport thermal coal given the coal tension at some places. For several successive days, the thermal coal for transportation has increased with daily amount of more than 45,000 cars approximately 3.8 million tonnes, representing a comparative growth rate of 60% and a historical record.